Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-07-02

!
Everybody interested in the matter is extremely
anxious that we may be able to entertain the
guests cues In as elegant manner as can possibly be
| done, and yet no expenses Will be incurred that
cannot be met with money IN hand"
| OFFICIAL FISH STORIES.
Facts About Denizens Of the Deep
! Reported by the Fish Communications.
| HOW MAN WAS KILLED BY A swoRpFsH-ruE
| VITALITY OF CARP-sTOCKING THE COLORADO WITH
! sHAD-THE WEALTH OF THE ALASKA FISHERIES.
bulletin Of the United States Fish Commission
just issued gives the following account, as de-
scribed in letter to Prot. Baird Of the killing Of
| a man by a swordf1sh:
| The schooner Venus is a small vessel of about
twelve tons, owned and commanded by Franklin
D. Lang ,ford, Of Lanesville, Mass, with crew Of
three men, engaged in the general fisheries or the
coast OF Massachusetts, On Monday morning,
August g. Capt. Langsrord sailed from home in
| pursuit OF swOrdfSh. About IL q. M, when 8
miles northeast from Halibut Point, in Ipswich
Bay, fish was seen. The captain, with one man,
taking dory, gave chase, and soon harpooned the
| fshS throwing over buoy with line attached to
the harpoon, after which the fish was left and they
returned to the vessel for dinner. About an hour
doy and vent out to secure the h Pc iS up
| the buoy. Capt Langsford took hold OF the line,
pulling his boat toward the swordtish, which was
quite large and not badly wounded. The line was
taut as the boat slowly neared the fish. which the
captain intended TO lance and thus kill it. When
the lance, it quickly turned and rushed at
and under the boat. thrusting its sword
up through the bottom OF the boat % inches. AS
| the fish turned and rushed toward the boat the
line was suddenly Stacked, causing the captain to
fall over on his back; and while he was In the act
boat and into his body. At this time another her
| swordtish was In sight near by, and the captain,
excited and anxious to secure both. raised himself
1 a 4. nndaH Ainrp
the sword, he seized IT, exclaiming, "Weve got
him, anyway He lay in the bottom Of the dory,
| alongside, while the fish, being under the boat
! could not be reached. soon the captain said, st
tsins am hurt and quite badly When the
| and fell, never rising again. The boat and fish
We're soon hoisted on board when the sword was
killed on the deck Of the vessel The fish weighed
24o pounds after its head and tail were cut on and
the yiscera removed; when alive 1t weighed some.
| thing over 800 pounds. Capt. LangSford survived
| the injury about three days, dying on Thursday,
August II, OF per1ton1t1s. The sword has been de-
| posted In the United States National Museum.
VITALITY OF CARP.
small lot OF carp, says another bulletin, was
sent to c. E. Jones' CarysbroOk. Va, leaving Wash
| ingtOn on the night OF November 90 1885, at 10 D.
m. These carp were on the way over i've days.
| they having been delayed in Columbia. Mr. Jones'
Rvanna River, depended On the captain OF boat
running between those points to bring the carp
Inc captain ldlleQ lOr several days to do and
the carp lay over in the express room without q
| change OF water. After this delay they were
brought up the river in an open boat twelve miles
| with the thermometer ut twenty three degrees
Fahrenheit. When Mr.. Jones opened the bucket
December 4, he thought the fish were all dead as
there were signs OF life and only pint OF water
the rest having been turned to ice but noticing
| slight movement OF the gilis he transferred The
| nsn TO tepid water, and IN thirty minutes they
| In the house, during which time none died or
showed any injurious effects. This display Of Vi
tally is doubtless due to the cold weather at the
time the fish were shipped and during their stay
| In Columbia.
THOUSANDS IN QUART.
table prepared by Mr.. VIM F. Page OF the
Central Station and published by the Fish Com
mission, gives interesting data for computing the
number OF fish eggs in given measure. This
shows that quart measure will contain 1,267 72S
eggs Of the Spanish mackerpl, $4,000 goldfish
81 800 white fish, S239 shad, "a 1853 rockfsh, 624
rainbow trout, 1901 brown trout, Il, O92 brook
trout, $40 lake trout, 3,696 California salmon,
4,272 Atlantic salmon, and $500 land-locked
salmon.
STOCKING THE COLORADO WITH sHAD.
An attempt to accltmate shad in the Colorado
River Of the West, and to establish fisheries on the
Colorado Gia and other tributaries of the Gulf of
California, was commenced by the deposit of
$4,000 fish in 1884, and $685. 900 eggs in 1885, and
was continued the present season BY deposit OF
5000 eggs, thus making total OF g S31 OOO all
OF which were deposited at The Needles These
plants are considered sufficient to determine
whether the waters present such conditions as
Will assure the establishment OF run OF shad In
the streams tributary to this gulf The evidence
OF success Will be looked for In the capture OF ma
ture Shad in the season OF 1883.
sHAD PROPAGATION ON THE POTOMAC
For the conduct OF the work OF shad propagation
In the Potomac last year the Commissioner au-
thorized an expenditure not to exceed s. OOO At
Fort Washington station the actual cost of col
lect1ng developing, and transporting the eggs was
g, $3.50; at central station. for hatchfnr and
| distribution, $685. total, 50, 79645. The total
losses during incubation were 6 CPS OOO leaving
the aggregate number furnished for distribution
from The Potomac River stations %, 737, 600 The
percentage OF loss during incubation was 1S per
cent, and shows marked improvement over the
results of previous seasons. The cost OF produc-
ton was s127.66 per million, or 70 shad TOR each
cent OF expenditure.
ALAsKAs FISHERY WEALTH
The Fish Commission bulletin quotes 1t. Schwat-
ka saying: In its cod fisheries Alaska is undoubt
eddy destined to lead the world, II supply and &C.
GessioiIity are worth anything in computation.
submarine plateaus extend in almost every oirec.
ton from Alaskan shores and simply swarm with
cod fish. TO compare them with the Atlantic
banks would be like comparing the population of
China with that OF Hudsons Bay Territory The
waters adjacent to the Alaskan coast have some
fine grounds for whale fishing which are now be-
Ing occupied for that purpose, and which are YIELD
ing about s, 1000, 600 per annum. But in addition
| ground lying OF the Alaskan coast, the rivers
which run far up into the interior OF the country
ne Tine
1sh taken is rather inferior to the fish OF the same
kinds that are caught on the Atlantic fishing
grounds They are also reported to be inferior In
| quality 10 the Columbia River salmon. A main
point involved in the development OF this branch
OF industrial pursuit in Alaska will be the matter
OF 1nding consumptive demand for all the salmon
and goldfish that could be packed In the Alaskan
waters more cheaply tnan such fish can be packed
| at any other fishing grounds In the world.
What Wheelman No. 9 Says.
To the Editor OF THE EVENING srAR.
Your correspondent, "Wheelman," last Thurs
| day made some strong points against the new
police regulations aimed at bicycles and tricycles
On the other hand he said, ut will cost q more
! trifle to every wheelman to provide himself